Barnstormers Perfect in Homestand

By Atlantic League Independent Wire Services on May 28, 2009

Lancaster, PA – For the first time ever, the Lancaster Barnstormers went through an entire homestand of six or more games without a loss.

Jason Scobie’s emergency relief effort shut down the Newark Bears for four innings, and the Barnstormers manufactured two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning as Lancaster took a 3-1 decision Wednesday evening at Clipper Magazine Stadium to keep the homestand record perfect at 6-0.

With the win, the Barnstormers climbed to within three games of Somerset, which took over first place on Wednesday.

Scobie (1-1) had to take over for Zack Parker to open the fourth inning after the left-hander suffered a recurrence of blisters on his left hand. The former Mets prospect gave his second strong performance of the homestand, allowing only four singles while walking none and striking out three. Two runners reached second base during his stint, both with two outs.

Newark grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on the only unearned run allowed by the Barnstormers in the six games. Ramon Nivar reached second with a double when his sharp grounder to the hole at short deflected off the glove of a diving Lloyd Turner and rolled to the left field line. Jay Gibbons hit a busted bat bouncer to first baseman Bryan Sabatella whose throw went behind Parker and into the Lancaster dugout, scoring Nivar.

Bobby Brownlie, who threw a shutout against Lancaster on May 12, escaped a first inning threat but was nicked in the third. Danny Bravo blooped a double down the left field line. Michael Woods beat out an infield hit to third base with Bravo holding at second. L.J. Biernbaum ripped a double into the right field corner which scored Bravo to tie the game at 1-1, but Woods was cut down on a perfectly executed 9-3-2 relay.

Lancaster finally broke the deadlock against former Barnstormer lefty Steve Kent (0-1) in the seventh. Michael Campbell led off with a single muscled over the head of first baseman Salomon Manriquez. Sabatella laid down a bunt toward the mound. Kent made an attempt at a force play and skipped the ball into center field, allowing Campbell to reach second safely. Turner moved the runners ahead with another bunt. Campbell scored on Kent’s wild pitch, and Bravo drove Sabatella home with a single into left center on a 3-0 pitch.

Without the services of closer Ryan Cullen, who had worked the three previous games, Lancaster used Joe D’Alessandro and Ross Peeples to get through the eighth inning. Following a leadoff single by Tike Redman, D’Alessandro stuck out Nivar and retired Gibbons on a pop to shortstop. Peeples was brought in to force Carl Everett to bat right-handed and struck him out swinging to end the inning.

Jon Huber allowed a walk and a single in the ninth but got Alberto Castillo to ground into a double play, notching his second save.

The Barnstormers head to Camden and Somerset on a six-game road trip before returning home to face Camden on Thursday, June 4.

NOTES: Biernbaum’s double in the third inning produced his 13th tying or go-ahead RBI this season…Lancaster’s bullpen has compiled a 1.24 ERA (4 ER/29.0 IP) in the last eight games…The Barnstormers have won seven in a row at home and 12 of the last 13…They have won 14 of their last 15 in Pennsylvania…Tom Cochran (3-2) will pitch against Brian Lawrence (3-2) Friday evening in Camden…Game time is 7:05.

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